Boje finally plays in India

Nicky Boje ended his seven-year itch when he finally played a game in India, although it was in an unofficial capacity. Taking the field for the Hyderabad Heroes in the third game of the Indian Cricket League's inaugural tournament, Boje played his first game on Indian soil since March 2000, when he was part of the South African side that took on India in a one-dayer in Vadodara.

Boje and Herschelle Gibbs had avoided touring India since 2000, after supposedly failing to obtain any assurance from the police with regards to questioning on the match-fixing scandal. Both had withdrawn from the one-day series against India in November 2005. Boje had earlier refused to tour India for a two-Test series in late 2004, despite being the vice-captain of the South African side.

"Nicky made it clear that the case was shut two and a half years back," said Ashish Kaul, the executive vice-president of the Essel Group. "We have had no problems so far. He was in Delhi for a few days also. He has not expressed any fears."

Boje also took part in his team's training camp in a resort near Hyderabad before the start of the tournament.